1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording, on a recording medium, an original image bearing information for identifying the original, such as a bar code.
2. Related Background Art
In order to reduce the storage space for originals generated in bulk, for example those of business forms, there has been conducted recording of images of originals on microfilms, optical or magnetic disks. However, in order to enable easy access or retrieval to these images afterwards, there have to be prepared index data corresponding to each image, and the entry of such index data has required an enormously long time. As a method for solving such a problem, there is already known an apparatus for reading code information attached on the original as index data by mechanical means such as bar code scanner, a magnetic ink character reader or an optical character reader, and recording the original image on a recording medium.
In said apparatus, the originals to be recorded, on which code information for indentifying the originals are attached in advance, are supplied into a transport path in succession, and said code information are read automatically by reading means provided in said transport path. The information thus read is accumulated, as index data, in a memory unit of external equipment such as a computer.
On the other hand, the originals after the reading of code information are supplied in succession into a photographing unit, and the original images are recorded on a microfilm. The address (frame) numbers of the images recorded on the microfilm are read as index data and accumulated in said memory unit, together with the code information.
However, in such conventional apparatus, the index data become absent in case of a reading error resulting for example from smear or damage in the code information on the original or from skewed advancement of the original, and the index data for the photographed image with such failed data reading have to be manually entered into the computer afterwards.
For this reason it has been conceived to separate the originals with proper bar code reading and those with failed bar code reading (hereinafter called failed reading documents), and to forcedly discharge such failed reading documents on a tray different from a tray on which the properly read originals are discharged.
On the other hand, the photographing unit is provided with mark recording means for recording a mark close to the image recorded on the microfilm, thereby optically recording, as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, a mark 111 at the side of each image frame 110 for the purpose of counting the image frames 110 of the microfilm 109 at retrieval. For example, a frame number (n-1, y) indicates a y-th page in an (n-1)-th set, a frame number (N,1) indicates a 1st page in an n-th set, and a frame number (n+1, 1) indicates a 1st page in an (n+1)-th set.
The above-mentioned mark 111 is recorded is plural sizes for grouping the image frames 110. More specifically, in order to facilitate grouping, the size of the mark 111 corresponding to the frame numbers (n, 1), (n+1, 1) etc. representing the 1st page in each set is varied.
Such change in the mark size is conducted either manually by the operator by interrupting the feeding of the original documents, or automatically when the number of photographed original documents reaches a predetermined value.
The read bar code data A is supplied to the computer and stored in the memory, and the frame numbers B representing the image frames of the microfilm are stored in the memory in the sequential order corresponding to said bar code data A, thereby enabling easy and secure retrieval.
However, the conventional structure with manual change of mark size not only requires considerable manpower but is very inefficient because the image recording operation is interrupted for each change of mark size. On the other hand, the conventional structure with automatic change of mark size according to the number of photographed images also requires manpower for the setting of the number of photographed images in advance, and is associated with an increased cost due to the complexity of the apparatus.
Also, in certain original documents, for example personal records containing plural pages for each individual as shown in FIG. 20, the bar codes A, B representing personal name appear only in the first pages 100.sub.1, 100.sub.4 in the personal packets 100.sub.1 -100.sub.3, 100.sub.4 -100.sub.5, while other pages 100.sub.2 -100.sub.3, 100.sub.5 only show other data such as occupation records, personal history, personal qualifications etc.
When such original documents are to be recorded in the conventional apparatus explained above, they have to be stored in advance by the personal names, and the change of the mark size has to be made at the first page of each personal packet.
It is therefore conceivable to insert a partition sheet between the packets and to automatically change the mark size upon detection of said partition sheet, but it is still necessary, also in such case, to manually insert such partition sheets into the original documents in advance.
Also, if such original documents are recorded in the above-explained apparatus capable of separating and discharging the failed reading originals, the documents 100.sub.2, 100.sub.3, 100.sub.5 lacking the bar code are always identified as the failed reading originals. Since a large number of original documents are identified as such failed reading originals in this case the manual entry of index data for such originals becomes cumbersome and inefficient.
On the other hand, in an apparatus which records data indicating the failed reading without the separation of the failed reading originals, such data are also recorded for the original document lacking the code information, or for the erroneously turned-over originals in addition to the actual failed reading. Consequently there will be required an enormous amount of correction of index data.
Particularly in case where the original document is erroneously turned over, the recorded image appears totally blank (or black). It is therefore very difficult to locate the original image for the purpose of re-recording, from the recorded image.